Disney Celebrates World Rhino Day By Announcing 3 Animal Kingdom Rhinos Are Pregnant
Courtesy Walt Disney World
There are three rhinos on the way at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
The park announced the exciting news on Sept. 22, World Rhino Day. Rhino moms Lola, Jao, and Kendi are all eagerly awaiting their calves. Kendi's baby is expected in October, while the other two are due in late 2021.
According to a release from Walt Disney World, the rhino moms were chosen to breed through Species Survival Plans, which are overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to ensure the responsible breeding of endangered species.
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Courtesy Walt Disney World
This is the first time the Animal Kingdom has had so many rhinos pregnant at once, reports Good Morning America, and all of the babies will be a welcomed addition to the rhino population, which is threatened by poaching and habitat loss, leaving many rhino species critically endangered.
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"I love these rhinos," Dr. Natalie Mylniczenko, a veterinarian at Walt Disney World Resort, told GMA. "It's been so much fun to be able to track these pregnancies and now we're going to have a birth in just a few weeks. I can't wait to see the baby."
Courtesy Walt Disney World
Ten rhinos have been born at Disney's Animal Kingdom since the park opened in 1998. Disney is hopeful that these three upcoming arrivals will raise awareness about the need to conserve wild rhino species around the world.
